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Quick answer: If you loved The Ickabog, read Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux, then Jasper Fforde's The Last Dragonslayer, then Julian Clary's The Bolds, and Cressida Cowell's The Wizards of Once and Adam Gidwitz's A Tale Dark & Grimm. All are whimsical fairy tales for children.
J.K. Rowling's The Ickabog (2020) is a fairy tale about a kingdom and a monster. These picks share its charm.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Tale of Despereaux | Kate DiCamillo | 8-12 | readers who like fairy tales |
| The Last Dragonslayer | Jasper Fforde | 10–14 | quirky British fantasy |
| The Bolds | Julian Clary | Ages 7-11 | hyenas in London |
| The Wizards of Once | Cressida Cowell | 8-12 | readers who like humor |
| A Tale Dark & Grimm | Adam Gidwitz | 8-12 | readers who like fairy tales |
| The Girl Who Drank the Moon | Kelly Barnhill | Teen/Adult | readers who like fairy tales |
| Fantastic Mr Fox | Roald Dahl | 6-10 | younger readers |
| The BFG | Roald Dahl | 7-11 | Dahl fans |
| The Witches | Roald Dahl | 8-12 | readers who love Dahl |
| Matilda | Roald Dahl | 7-11 | younger readers |
| The Neverending Story | Michael Ende | Teen/Adult | readers who love books about books |
| Stardust | Neil Gaiman | Adult | readers who want a gentle fairy tale |
| The Looking Glass Wars | Frank Beddor | Teen | Wonderland reimagined |
| The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell | Chris Colfer | 8-12 | fairy-tale fans |
| Circus Mirandus | Cassie Beasley | 9-13 | young readers |
1. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
A tiny mouse who loves music and a princess is sent to the dungeon. Funny and moving.
Best for: readers who like fairy tales.
2. The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde
A teenage orphan runs a magical employment agency while the last dragon is dying. Offbeat and very British.
Best for: quirky British fantasy.
3. The Bolds by Julian Clary
A family of hyenas lives as humans in a London suburb. Absurd and kind.
Best for: hyenas in London.
4. The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell
Wish and Xar, a witch girl and a wizard boy, face a world where magic is fading. Funny, illustrated and fast.
Best for: readers who like humor.
5. A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
Hansel and Gretel continue their story through other Grimm tales. Violent, witty and unusual.
Best for: readers who like fairy tales.
6. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Luna, a girl accidentally fed moonlight by a kindly witch, grows up with magic. A story about love and memory.
Best for: readers who like fairy tales.
7. Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl
Mr. Fox outwits three farmers to feed his family. Short and clever.
Best for: younger readers.
8. The BFG by Roald Dahl
Sophie befriends a Big Friendly Giant who blows dreams into children's rooms. Funny and warm, with invented words.
Best for: Dahl fans.
9. The Witches by Roald Dahl
A boy discovers that witches are real and want to destroy children. Dark and funny.
Best for: readers who love Dahl.
10. Matilda by Roald Dahl
Matilda, a girl with telekinetic powers, outsmarts cruel adults. A short, funny classic.
Best for: younger readers.
11. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
Bastian reads a book that pulls him into the land of Fantastica. A story about stories, with big ideas.
Best for: readers who love books about books.
12. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Tristran crosses the wall into the land of Faerie to retrieve a fallen star for the girl he loves. A fairy tale for adults, short and charming.
Best for: readers who want a gentle fairy tale.
13. The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
Princess Alyss of Wonderland is exiled and must return. Fast and inventive.
Best for: Wonderland reimagined.
14. The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer
Twins fall into a fairy-tale world and meet Cinderella, Red Riding Hood and more. Funny and fast.
Best for: fairy-tale fans.
15. Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley
A boy tries to find a magical circus to save his grandfather. Sweet and magical.
Best for: young readers.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Ickabog: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to The Ickabog. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For fairy tales, read The Tale of Despereaux. For adventures, try The Last Dragonslayer. For humour, pick The Bolds.
Related: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote The Ickabog?
J.K. Rowling, in 2020.
Is it part of Harry Potter?
No, it is a separate fairy tale.
What age is it for?
About 7 to 12.
Which book here is best for young readers?
Try Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley, which suits readers looking for young readers.
Which book here is best for fairy-tale fans?
Try The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer, which suits readers looking for fairy-tale fans.
Which book here is best for Wonderland reimagined?
Try The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor, which suits readers looking for Wonderland reimagined.
Which book here is best for readers who want a gentle fairy tale?
Try Stardust by Neil Gaiman, which suits readers looking for readers who want a gentle fairy tale.